Food brings simple joy & no-menu dining is hilariously delightful

By / Lai Yanru

▲ The Italian restaurant "Tomatoism" opened by music creator Zhang Xiaowen. (Photo / fromFanily)

In a quiet alley of Xindian District, New Taipei City, a house with a courtyard is always filled with laughter. This is the Italian restaurant "Tomatoism" opened by renowned singer and music creator Zhang Xiaowen. It's a space where the hostess shares the joy of cooking and also a place for her own healing.

 
▲ "Tomatoism" feels like a homey eatery, giving guests a warm and relaxed vibe. (Photo / fromFanily)

Years ago, "Tomatoism" gained fame in the highly competitive East District of Taipei. The line outside the store was often long, which led Zhang Xiaowen to open a second branch. Aside from the material success, she had no time to care for her newborn child or her seriously ill mother, leaving her mentally exhausted and conflicted. Emotionally and physically drained, Zhang almost ran away from it all and closed that restaurant.

But over the years while accompanying her mother through the end of life, Zhang gradually came to realize that life shouldn’t be about constant striving but rather about doing what makes you happy. Two years before her mother passed — when she had lost her will to live — Zhang suddenly remembered the joy of cooking. She began searching for a space in Xindian, and through step-by-step renovation of the old house and rebuilding the restaurant, she slowly regained her faith in life.

▲ Zhang Xiaowen’s signature dishes are all mouthwateringly delicious. (Photo / fromFanily)

"Do what makes you happy, cook what tastes good to you, and that joy will naturally spread to others." Zhang Xiaowen has combined the most popular dishes from her over ten years in the food industry and launched a no-menu cuisine at "Tomatoism". "Every dish is guaranteed to be a signature!"

The low-key "Tomatoism", tucked away in a quiet alley, never actively promotes itself. "The guests who come are all referred by word of mouth — pretty much friends of friends — so I treat them like I would my own friends." Perhaps it’s because the joy Zhang shares through food is so infectious that diners at "Tomatoism" often come in groups, laughing and enjoying the simple happiness that food brings.

[Tomatoism]
Phone: 02-22180849
Address: No. 55, Zhongyang 5th St., Xindian District, New Taipei City 231